Bags for storing or carrying various materials and objects are, of course, well known. Such bags come in scores of sizes and shapes and today, are constructed of ever stronger fabrics or synthetics as materials technology continues to improve. Typical of the stronger materials which may be used to construct bags today, include rayon, nylon, polyester and various synthetics.
Shopping bags are typically designed to transport loads which the average person may comfortably carry. These bags, however, are ungainly when they are carried, but are not in use. On such occasions, the bags may be folded or otherwise compacted, although they do not remain so. Consequently the bags are tied in the folded position by various attachment means such as rubber bands, ropes, or the like. Such attachment means are, unfortunately, easily forgotten, lost, destroyed or otherwise separated from the bag. It is thus desirable to have a bag with folding or compacting means which remain secured to the bag.
Bags typically having such folding or compacting means are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,493,085 (Pincus), 3,322,176 (Geller), 3,587,698 (Ritter), 4,085,873 (Schweitzer), 4,117,874 (Berenguer), 4,782,874 (Chartier) and 5,009,516 (Geeck). Each of these patents discloses relatively large bags which may be folded into a smaller pouch. One transporting the bag would simply carry the smaller, compact pouch, which contains the larger bag. Unfortunately however, such bags have certain disadvantages. None of these patents discloses or suggests, (for instance, a bag storable in a closure pouch, wherein the pouch, when the bag is in use, is usable as a purse), a means for closing the bag and serves also as an advertising or message medium which is readily visible to bystanders.
The Pincus patent discloses, for example, a pouch which forms the bottom of a bag when the bag is used. The pouch does not appear to be useable as a separate purse when the bag is in use because one would have to reach through the contents of the bag to reach the pouch. The pouch is also not useable as an advertising or message medium since it rests on the bottom of the bag (see Pincus FIG. 1) so that its planar faces are not in the view of bystanders. The Pincus patent moreover fails to disclose a pouch which serves also as a bag closing means when the bag is being used.
The Geller patent bag, like the Pincus patent bag, also embodies a pouch which forms the bottom of the bag when the bag is used. This pouch is also not useable as a separate purse when the bag is in the open or the "in use" position not only because it is positioned on the bottom of the bag, but also because it is made of netting, through which change and other items would easily fall. The pouch's location, as well as the netting construction means that the pouch also could not readily serve as an advertising or message medium.
The Ritter patent reveals a bag and a pouch which is attached by a flap to the bag. The pouch does not however serve as a means for keeping the bag closed when the bag is being used. Indeed, the Ritter bag teaches away from such use and employs simply a traditional drawstring to close the bag. The same applies to the Schweitzer patent which depicts a backpack foldable into a pouch and uses a zipper to close the bag, which, in this case is the backpack.
The Berenguer patent describes a shopping bag foldable within a pouch. The intended function of the Berenguer pouch is to serve as a pouch compartment inside the bag. Like the bag shown in the other patents, the Berenguer pouch fails to serve as a means to close the bag when the bag is being used. Indeed the Berenguer bag does not teach any type of bag closing mechanism.
The Chartier patent, like the Pincus and Geller patents, also describes a pouch which accommodates a folded bag. The pouch rests upon and serves to strengthen the bottom of the bag when the bag is in use and cannot serve as an advertising or message medium for others to see when the bag is in use. Again, as with the other bags, the Chartier pouch does not serve as a means for closing the shopping bag when the bag is being used.
The Geeck patent also reveals a pouch which accommodates a folded bag. The pouch does not appear to be sufficiently large or to embody a sufficiently planar surface to facilitate its use as an advertising or message medium. Again, as with other bags, the Geeck patent bag does not serve as a means for closing the bag when the bag is in use.
As evidenced by the above patents, one skilled in the art did not contemplate use of a pouch as a closing mechanism and, in fact, felt compelled to use a different means, if any, to close the bag. Those skilled in the art were focussing more on improving the materials constituting the bag or the pouch, rather than directing their energies to the bag closing means.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a bag for storing and carrying objects.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a bag with a pouch which is usable simultaneously with the bag.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bag and pouch, wherein the pouch serves also as a means for closing the bag when the bag is in use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a bag and an attached pouch, wherein the pouch serves also as an advertising or message medium which is readily visible to bystanders.